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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · firm · coach · bark · prune · wave · bat · root

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bat — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. firm — a company
  6. root — the cause
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — steady
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com